Hassan III
Jalālu-d-Dīn Ḥassan III '''or '''Hassan III (1187–1221), son of Nūru-d-Dīn Muḥammad II, was the 6th Lord of Alamut. He ruled from 1210-21. History During his childhood, his father had designated him as his successor. According to John Malcolm in History of Persia (London, 1815, 1:405), "He is celebrated in Persian history for the kindness and generosity of his disposition; and we are informed that this prince of the Ismailis was the handsomest man for his age". Selecting the different narratives, it appears that some Assassins in northern Syria had allegedly misinterpreted the notion of the qiyama among the orthodox Muslims, who also in turn, ignored its inner substance and devised a derogatory accusation and engineered anti-propaganda in supposedly exaggerated words. Dr. Nassih Ahmed Mirza writes that, "Among the Syrian Ismailis who lived far away from Alamut in a different environment, the teachings of the qiyama were probably not fully understood by all" (Ibid. pp. 156-7). Under these difficult circumstances, the basic teachings of the qiyama was bound to have been different in northern Syria from Persia. Between 1164 and 1210, the orthodox machine sprouted out from all directions in Persia and Syria, reviling that the Assassins had violated the Islamic Shariah. Dahalbi (d. 1348) writes in Zubat at-talab fi Tarikh-i Halab that, "The proclamation of qiyama in Iran was obvious, the more so since the Syrian historians clearly know nothing of the event of Alamut." One can judge from the imponderable and starkly fictitious accounts of the contemporary diplomats and travelers, about the nature of the rumors spread against the Ismailis. In a diplomatic report of 1175 of an envoy, Burchard of Strassburg, who had been sent to Syria by the Roman king Frederick I Barbarossa (1152-1190), indicates that Burchard had been ill-informed by the local Muslims about the Hashashin during his visit to Syria in 1175, which he produced in his report in a distorted form. He writes, "The Heyssessini live without law; they eat swine's flesh against the law of the Saracens, and make use of all women..." Ibn Jubayr, the Spanish traveler had also passed through the Syrian Assassin territories on Friday, the 18th Rabi I, 580/June 29, 1184 and describes what he learnt through oral channels that, "On their slopes are castles belonging to the heretical Ismailites, a sect which swerved from Islam and vested divinity in a man (Sinan).... He bewitched them with these black arts, so that they took him as a god and worshipped him. They abased themselves before him, reaching such a state of obedience and subjection that did he order one of them to fall from the mountain top he would do so, and with alacrity that he might be pleased." - (vide The Travels of Ibn Zubayr tr. by R.J.C. Broadhurst, London, 1952, p. 264). Imam Jalaluddin Hasan cemented cordial relations with the Muslims rulers, so that the Ismailis living in the mountains for many years, can accelerate their economical conditions in the different cities. There are indications that at least some of the Ismailis were becoming increasingly weary of their isolation from the outside world. To make this possible, there had to be at least a measure of outward conformity. He ordered the building of public baths and invited the Muslim theologians from Iraq and Khorasan. According to The Cambridge History of Iran (London, 1968, 5:476), "From the time of Hasan III, the Ismailis attracted to their libraries and to their learned patronage a large number of scholars from the outer world. Such scholars were free to maintain their prior religious convictions." Ibn Wasil (d. 697/1298) writes in Mufarrid al-Kurub (p. 211) that the Syrian Hashashin were also subsequently informed in 1211 to follow the policy of the Imam. Imam Jalaluddin Hasan thus was held in high esteem and accepted as a chief among other chiefs, and his rights to the territories he dominated were officially acknowledged by the Abbasids. The improved relations were naturally beneficial to the Sunni Muslims as well. For instance, at the end of Imam Jalaluddin Hasan's rule, many Muslims including prominent scholars who were fleeing from the Mongolian strikes in Khorasan, found safety in the Hashashin towns of Kohistan. It is seen that the reforms of Imam Jalaluddin Hasan have been taken into wrong sense by Juvaini and other historians, tincturing with dubious stories. Juvaini claims that Imam Jalaluddin Hasan had given up the creeds of his forefather (p. 698) and professed Sunnism (p. 699). He seems to make a dogmatic different between the Imam with the previous Imams of Alamut. Granted that Imam Jalaluddin Hasan had deserted the creeds of his forefather and embraced Sunnism, then why would he retain with him till death the spiritual authority of Imamate, and nominated his son as the next Imam? Secondly, it is unlikely to confess the notion advanced by the historians that an Imam had adhered to the Sunnism on one hand and his followers continued to profess Shi'ism of an Ismaili tariqah on other. Imam Jalaluddin Hasan was absolutely an Imam of the Hashashin, therefore, the opinions of the historians are utterly irrational and unrealistic. According to The Cambridge History of Iran (London, 1968, 5:470) that, "From an Imamate point of view, he (Jalaluddin Hasan) was undeniably the Imam: he had received the irrevocable designation by the preceding Imam and whatever he ordered was to be received in faith". Suffice it to say that the Syrian scholar, Arif Tamir cited a letter of Jalaluddin Hasan, in which he claims his Imamate and traces his descent from al-Nizar through Hasan II, vide Sinan Rashid-ad-Din aw Shaikh al-Jabal (cf. al-Adib, 23:45; May, 1953). It is also a matter worth consideration that his actions were not rejected by his followers, and he was also able to leave Alamut fearlessly and visited in foreign lands for 18 months and returned with no difficulty or mishap. W. Montgomery Watt writes in Islam and the Integration of Society (London, 1961, p. 77) that, "For the Ismailis, too, the Imam was an absolute autocrat, whose decrees had to be accepted. However strange his new decision might seem, a loyal follower could not question it, since he was bound to regard the Imam as knowing better than himself. In fact the community seems to have followed al-Hasan III without hesitation. He himself may genuinely have believed that he was acting in the best interests of the community." Imam Jalaluddin Hasan also procured close relation with the ruler of Gilan, and in 1212, he betrothed to the four women of Gilan. One among them was the sister of Kai'kaus bin Shahanshah, the ruler of Kutum, who bore Imam's successor, named Alauddin Muhammad. Imam Jalaluddin Hasan developed close relation with Muzaffaruddin Ozbek bin Pahlawan Muhammad (1210-1225), the sixth and last Ildenizid ruler of Persia and Azerbaijan. When Ozbek decided to deal with Nasiruddin Mengli, his deputy in Irak-i Ajam who had rebelled, he sought help from Alamut. Imam Jalaluddin Hasan departed from Alamut under command of his army in 1214 to Azerbaijan, where he stayed at Ozbek's court. He remained for sometimes in Bailaqan with Ozbek, whence they sent joint ambassadors to Baghdad, Syria and other lands, seeking reinforcement in expelling Mengli from Irak-i Ajam. The Abbasid sent their army in command of Muzaffaruddin Wajh Sabu and an army was likewise sent from Syria. In 1215, a battle was fought near Hamadan, whereupon Mengli was defeated. After the victory, Imam Jalaluddin Hasan was granted the provinces of Abhar and Zanjan. During the year and a half when Imam Jalaluddin Hasan was in Azerbaijan, Muzaffaruddin Ozbek treated him with great consideration and that was a brotherly feeling between them. Ozbek used to send him abundant supplies of provisions and excessive quantities of money, so much so that after meeting the requirements of Imam Jalaluddin Hasan in the way of rations of every kind and after dispensing the gifts and robes of honors which he showered not only upon his great officers but also upon the generality of his troops he would still every day sent 1,000 gold dinars to his treasury for current expenses. The beginning of 13th century was a terrible age for the whole rulers of Central Asia when the Mongol hordes emerged from Mongolia (though historical sources differ) and began to threaten the Middle East. The monstrous hosts indiscriminately annihilated populations, pillaged towns and cities, wreaked special vengeance upon those who dared to resist them, and to whom they had promised immunity, converted the rich and smiling fields into deserts, and left behind the smoke of burning towns. Ruthlessly exterminating young and old, male and female, they obliterated cities and towns with their denizens, their schools, their palaces, their libraries, their art treasures, largely nomadizing the region. Death In 1221, Imam Jalaluddin Hasan attended a banquet, where his enemies poisoned him. His vizir, who was the tutor of his successor, accused the Imam's Sunni wives of Gilan in the conspiracy. It however resulted his death of dysentery in Ramzan, November, 1221. His period of Imamate and rule lasted for 11 years, and was succeeded by his only son Alauddin Muhammad, who was then nine years old. Accusations Many medieval chroniclers and historians claimed that the Imam have converted to Sunni Islam, which was accepted by Abbasid Caliph al-Nasir and other Muslim princes and he became known as naw musalman (new Muslim). His Sunni zeal and aversion to his former faith made him go so far as to curse his ancestors and burn the books of Hassan-i Sabbah. He invited many Sunni scholars and jurists from across Khurasan,Qazvin and Iraq to visit Alamut Castle, and even invited them to inspect the library and remove any books they found to be objectionable. He also instructed these scholars to teach his followers, whom he commanded to observe the Sunni Sharia. In defense, modern Ismailis ask why would he retain with him till death the spiritual authority of Imamate, and nominated his son as the next Imam? The Nizari Ismailis of today interpret this as an act of ''taqiya, ''lying about his faith to protect himself and the community. Category:Imamas Category:Lords of Alamut